SAN JOSE — A plane carrying the University of Kansas men’s basketball team had to make an emergency landing Sunday at Mineta San Jose International Airport after one of its engines failed about 20 minutes after takeoff.
The Swift Air charter flight, headed to Topeka, Kansas, was carrying about 60 people, including 15 players from the basketball team. The team, ranked No. 5 in the nation, had played at Stanford on Sunday afternoon, winning 72-56.
Airport spokesman Scott Wintner said the chartered plane left but radioed back soon after about engine trouble. The plane landed along the airport’s 12-right runway just after 5:30 p.m., and then taxied over to a parking spot on the air field’s west side.
“It’s not all that unusual, although it certainly seems to have become a topic of interest,” Wintner said. “Our airport operations responded as per protocol, and the plane landed just fine on its own, and we waved off emergency support.”
Jeff Long, the school’s athletic director, said passengers heard a loud pop, followed by shaking. The pilot then announced the plane had lost an engine.
“It was tense,” Long told NBC Bay Area. “It got very quiet. And I think people were on edge, obviously. But the plane maintained good altitude and level, and the pilots and crew acted in a very professional way. So I think as best we could we felt safe about the return to San Jose.”
“Never prayed like that before! Thank the Lord!” Jayhawks senior forward Mitch Lightfoot wrote on Twitter.
“One word: Blessed,” wrote guard Marcus Garrett, adoring his Twitter post with three sets of hands in prayer.
The university’s athletics department tweeted Sunday night: “Upon our return flight home from San Jose, CA, about twenty minutes into the flight, one of the engines failed. Our pilot immediately contacted the San Jose Airport where we returned and made a safe landing.
“We are grateful to the pilots and the entire flight crew of Swift Air. We will stay the night in San Jose and return to Lawrence once the plans have been finalized.”
There was cheering and applause when the plane landed safely. The team was set to return home Monday on a new plane provided by Swift Air.
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